Winners of the 2022 GS Blackburn Award and Friends Educational Award have been announced as Year 13 student, Lara Chalkley, and Year 12 students Willow Perry and Chhaya Mistry.

Lara Chalkley has won the 2022 GS Blackburn Award for her application to travel to New Zealand to research Asajiro Noda - one of the first Japanese people to arrive in New Zealand in the 1800s and live amongst the Maori. Noda’s integration into Maori society was helped by language similarities and shared cultural values. Lara will enjoy an immersive experience to learn about Maori culture in order to investigate the similarities between the two cultures.

The GS Blackburn Travel Award is named after Gwendoline Blackburn, a former Headmistress of Bath High, who was, in her day, the youngest Head ever appointed by GDST 80 years ago in 1942.

The 2022 Friends Educational Award has been presented to two students – Willow Perry and Chhaya Mistry. Willow will attend Medic Mentor Summer School, a week-long residential course which will give her an insight into life in the medical profession. Meanwhile, Chhaya will spend time on a week-long course at Whipsnade Zoo Academy as she aspires to be a vet. The course will give her experience with a diverse range of animals and will provide both theoretical and practical experience.

The Friends Educational Award takes place annually and is open to Year 12 and 13 students offering them an opportunity to enhance their extra-curricular project, initiative or endeavour, developing their personal educational path or career aspiration.